Slicing device with multi-knife cutting disc



April 21', 1959 X. B- K. GREEN ETAL SLICING DEVICE WITH MULTI-KNIFECUTTING DISC INVENTORS GAEEM Filed June 18, 1953 means as mentioned, allcarried on the wheel frame. ing a unit, it is adapted to replace manycutting wheels SLICING DEVICE WITH MULTI-KNIFE CUTTING DISC Xan B. K.Green, New Paitz, and Harry Preble, Jr.,

Cross River, N.Y., assignors to General Slicing Machine Co., Inc.,Walden, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application June 18, 1953,Serial No. 362,562

Claims. (Cl. 146-114) The present invention relates to vegetable slicingand shredding devices and more particularly to the type having cuttingedges on a rotatable wheel frame and means to adjust the thickness ofslice.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a novel andimproved cutting wheel for effecting a plulurality of slices perrevolution thereof and affording but a single means requiring a simpleadjustment to alter slice thickness.

Another object hereof is to provide a rotatable cut ting wheel of thecharacter mentioned of novel and improved construction, having a cuttingmember which presents a plurality of cutting edges only half of whichare in use at any one time. When the cut-ting edges in use become dull,the cutting member may be reset on the wheel member so that the othercutting edges thereof are in operating position.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel and improvedcutting wheel of the kind described, having an adjustable slice gagemember for each active cutting edge; all of said gage members beingassociated to be given identical movement without the use of any springmeans, but utilizing but a single screw to accomplish their simultaneousadjustment for change in slice thickness.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel and improvedcutting wheel for cutting a plurality of slices per revolution thereof,which is a unitary structure including cutting means, slice-gage meansfor each cutting edge and a single thickness-of-slice adjustmentheretofore in use, and may be substituted therefor by being mounted onthe drive shaft of existing devices of this class where dimensions suit.

A further object hereof is to provide a novel and improved cutting wheelunit of the nature set forth, which is reasonably cheap to manufacture,easy to use and adjust, and efficient in carrying out the purposes forwhich it is designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosureproceeds.

In the drawings which accompany and constitute part of thisspecification, similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in all the views.

Fig. l is a front view of a cutting wheel embodying the teachings ofthis invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken at lines 22 in Fig. 1, show- 1 ing inparticular, an adjustable slice-gage member and its related cuttingedge.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken at lines 3-3 in Fig. 1,which particularly shows the thickness-of-slice adjustment means.

Fig. 4 is a front view of a wheel frame member which carries all theother parts of the unit shown in Fig. 1. In the embodiment of thisinvention herein illustrated, the wheel frame also includes another partwhich presents a hub whereby the cutting wheel may be mounted on adriving shaft.

Fig. 5 is a section taken at lines 55 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section taken at lines 6-6 in Fig. 1, showing only the wheelframe member which has the hub.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the slice-gage members. 7 v

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a nut structure included in the gageadjustment means. i

Fig. 9 is like Fig. 2, showing the cutting wheel of Fig. 1 associatedwith a hopper holding a vegetable to be sliced. The wheel here shall bedeemed rotating counterclockwise, and the vegetable positioned to theleft of center in Fig. 1. 1

Fig. 10 is the front view of a blade member for a cutting wheel inaccordance with this invention for effecting four slices per revolution.The device shown in Fig. l, is for cutting two slices per revolution.

In the preferred embodiment, the ,device illustrated in the drawings isfor cutting two slices of vegetable 15 per revolution of the cuttingwheel denoted generally by the numeral 16. Hence two radial cuttingedges 17,17 are provided, each associated with a gage plate. Thesecutting edges may be on a single member 19. The gage plates indicated bythe numerals 18 and 18 respectively are swingably mounted means. Themember 19 is of a shape comprising substantially two opposite circlesectors. Each of the gage plates or vanes fit substantially as one ofthe remaining sectors of such circle. The member 19 and the gage platesare mounted on a ring 24 across one end thereof. Means to adjust thegage plates, is positioned within such ring which may be the rim of awheel structure, here made up of the wheel parts 20 and 21. The gageadjustment means indicated generally as 29 includes a journalled screw22 carrying in threaded engagement thereon the nut structure 23. I

The rims 24 and 25 of the respective Wheel parts, fit telescopically andso assembled, are secured to each other in any suitable manner. Thewheel part 21 has a hub 26 and few spokes. 27. It is by this hub thatthe cutting wheel 16 may be mounted on a drive shaft 28 which isjournalledon the frame 50 in bearing 51. As a convenient mount for thescrew 22 of the gage adjustment means 29, the wheel part 20 may alsohave a short hub 30 in which said screw is journalled. The head of saidscrew is against the front face of the hub 30 and lies within aclearance hole through the blade member; such hole being 31. Of course,the hubs 26 and 30 are spaced so that the threaded shank of the screw 22may be of sufficient length to permit a predetermined scope of movementof said nut structure 23 along said screw.

The exposed surface of the wheel part 20 shown in Fig. 4, is flat and nopart of the device projects in front of the exposed face of the blademember 19, save the head of the screw 22 slightly. Said member 19 ismounted on the wheel structure by means of the screws 32. The cuttingedges 17 and 17' are so positioned here, that upon rotation of thecutting .wheel 16 counter-clockwise in Fig. 1, said edges will cut thevegetable 15 held tothe left of the center of the said cutting wheel andagainst the face of said cutting wheel, in the hopper 33. Although theedges 34 and 34' of the member 19 do no cutting in the set upillustrated, they may also be sharpened in such manner that they willcut when the member 19 is removed and reset after being turned so thatits surfaces are reversed. The spokes 35 of the wheel part 20 are sopositioned with respect to the rim 24, that they act to support theblade member 19 along the edges doing no cutting. The free area of eachsector of the blade member and the area of each gage plate, is largeenough to include the face area of the largest slice of the vegetable15. The space or openings between the spokes 27 should be large enoughto permit slices cut to fall down out of the wheel structure.

The gage plate 151 has an edge 118 parallel and adjacent the cuttingedge 17, and is mounted to swing on the axis pin 36 carrying the bentears 137 of said gage plate. Likewise, the gage plate 18' has an edge118' parallel and adjacent the cutting edge 17', and is mounted to swingon the axis pin 36' carrying the bent ears 138 of the gage plate 18.Preferably, each such axis pin is parallel respectively to the cuttingedge of the member 19 related to the gage plate carried on such pin.These mentioned axis pins are mounted near the periphery of the wheelstructure. Each of the gage plates has a tab or ear extending away fromthe head of the screw 22 and spaced from its axis of swing. Such tabsare denoted respectively by the numerals 37 and 37, and each has a holeindicated respectively as 38 and 38 for slidably receiving therethrougha pin extending radially from the nut 39. These radial pins 40, 40', arepositioned in such holes. It is evident that upon turning the journalledscrew 22, an adjustment easily made by screw driver at the front of thecutting wheel 16, the nut 39 will ride therealong and the front face ofeach gage plate will make an identical angle with the plane of the blademember 19. Also, the gage plates 18, 18' being identical, the distancebetween edges 17, 118, and 17', and 118' will be equal always. The holes38, 38' are of equal size, and the pins 40, 40 are of equal diameter andof such size smaller than said holes they are through, to permit gageplate swing movement.

To operate, the screw 22 is first adjusted to set the distance"A to theslice thickness desired. A vegetable within the hopper 33 is constantlypushed by, for instance, the slidably mounted pusher rod 42 against theface of the cutting wheel 16, while said wheel is rotatedcounterclockwise by the turning of the shaft 28.

When the cutting edges 17, 17' become dull, the member 19 is removed andreset with its surfaces reversed so that the cutting edges 34, 34 shalldo the cutting; the screws 32 being on a diameter of the cutting wheelwhich is the center line of symmetry of the blade member 19. Theclearance hole 31 permits blade removal.

As the slice being cut travels along the back side of the blade cuttingit, such slice will be bent slightly by the rounded edge of the spokeand the slice will separate and quit adherence to the blade member 19and fall off when the full slice is severed. If such slice is very smalland does adhere to the back side of the blade member, it will he slidoff by the next slice when it is being cut.

A cutting wheel for more than two slices per revolution inaccordancewith this invention, is shown in Fig. 10 where a blade member 44 isoutlined having four cutting edges 44'. There would, of course, be onegage plate like 18 for each of such cutting edges and each gage platewould be associated with one pin like 40 on the nut structure 23 whichwould have four radial pins, as is well understood without the necessityof further illustration.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applicationswithout departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It istherefore intended and desired that the embodiment shown herein bedeemed illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall coverall patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to thefollowing claims rather than to the specific description herein toindicate the scope of this invention.

We claim 1. In a food slicing device of the character described,

a frame, a wheel structure mounted on the frame for axial rotation,adapted to have a food mass to be sliced to be pressed against onesurface of said wheel; said wheel having openings through spacedsections thereof, coplanar blade means on the wheel structure,presenting radially extending cutting edges on said surface, one acrosseach of said openings; said cutting edges being so positioned that theywill slice a food mass when said Wheel is rotated in one direction;vanes swingably mounted on said wheel structure, one across eachopening; the axis of swing of each vane being substantially parallel tothe cutting edge at the opening the vane is across; each of said vanesextending from their axes of swing towards the cutting edges they arerespectively associated with, and slantingly away behind said surfacewhereby the edge of each vane nearest its associated cutting edge is inspaced relation from such cutting edge; such spaces being equal and eachdetermining the thickness of slice to be effected, a screw positionedlongitudinally through the center of said wheel structure, accessible atthe mentioned surface of said wheel for manual manipulation; said screwbeing journalled on the wheel structure for axial rotation with respectto said wheel and extending from the other surface of said wheel intospace, a nut threadedly engaged on and movable along said screw andelements extending from each of the vanes, associated with said nut tomove along with said nut, whereby on turning the said screw, the nutwill travel therealong and all the vanes will be simultaneously movedthereby to equally alter the spaces determining the thickness of sliceto be effected.

2. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the wheel structure hasspokes; the openings in said wheel structure being the spaces betweensaid spokes and wherein the blade means are mounted on said spokes.

3. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the wheel structurecomprises two parts each having a wheel rim; said Wheel rims beingsecured in telescopically fitted relation; one of said rims havingspokes and the other of said rims having a hub behind the plane of theblades and behind the screw; said hub serving to mount the wheelstructure on the frame.

4. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the elements extending fromthe vanes respectively are laterally extending lugs; each of said lugsbeing provided with a hole therethrough and pins extending radially fromthe nut positioned through said holes respectively; said pins beingafforded lateral movement in said holes; the length of said pins beingsufficient to maintain their association with said lugs at all positionsof the nut along the screw.

5. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein all the cutting edges areon a single member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,114,020 Froney Apr. 12, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS 711,052 France June 16,1931 590,887 Germany Jan. 12, 1934 243,169 Switzerland Sept. 16, 1946

